The Brand Radar: Brands come out to play at EAG Expo

Earlier this month, I had a very worthwhile visit to the EAG Expo, not least as a reminder of how licensing has a relevance and purpose in a broad range of categories – including the amusement arcade sector.

Key to success, as always, is choosing licences well and making sure it’s used in an authentic way. There is a lot of talk in licensing about fan driven licensing – this is definitely a category that plays to that well… Quite literally letting fans play and experience their favourite brands in new ways.

It was good to see how the companies in the sector are developing new products and new ways of using licenses creatively. I particularly liked the Disney photo booth. It was also interesting to see how sports brands like NBA are being used – and that these types of brands are very much global ones. It was also a positive showcase of how gaming brands can crossover into arcade games successfully.

The show – run by Bacta, the trade body representing the interests of Britain’s amusements and high street gaming manufacturers and operators – returns in January 2026.